Specialist Sorcerors [Class Variant]

[TheElfLord]

I was thinking about the idea of making specialist sorcerors, like so:

The sorceror must choose whether to specialize and, if she does so, choose her specialty at 1st level. At this time, she must also give up two other schools of magic (unless she chooses to specialize in divination; see below), which become her prohibited schools.

A specialist sorceror knows one additional spell of her specialty school per spell level.

A sorceror can never give up divination to fulfill this requirement.

Spells of the prohibited school or schools are not available to the sorceror, and she can’t even cast such spells from scrolls or fire them from wands. She may not change either her specialization or her prohibited schools later.

What do people think of this? Too weak? Too powerful? I think it makes sense for innate magical power to follow certian trends and avoid some spells.

[The Corinthian]

I think it's unnecessary. You can make a "specialist" sorcerer with a themed spells known list with no mechanical changes. If you have to have a mechanic, though, yours looks fine.

[Fax Celestis]

Why would a natural-caster, like the sorceror, prohibit spells according to school? I'd say it'd be better to prohibit according to descriptor or something like that.

[Harkone]

I like your sorcerer specialist idea; I actually came up with an almost identical option myself a few years ago. As for what gets barred, I think it can eaither be by school or descriptor, depending on how you see sorcerers in your campaign.

[knightsaline]

I agree with Fax. Sorcs see magic as an art, something inborn. they do not see magic by schools, but by how they can craft the spell. I would make the specialist choose between the 5 types of spell energies (fire, cold, sonic, electricity and acid) force is treated as universal (since no self respecting sorc is going to give up magic missile). the sorc chooses 1 energy to give up and chooses one to specialize in. the sorc may choose to give up more than 1 energy and gains specialization in another. A sorc would choose fire and lightning to specialize in, while giving up cold and acid, as an example.

[TheElfLord]

But why are energy types any more concreate than schools? Its not like the schools are some abstract representation of magic. While some spells don't make sense to be in the school that they are, most do. Why is it any odder to think that a sorcerer could have an inborn talent for summoning creatures than for casting spells with fire in them?

[Glooble Glistencrist]

I agree with TheElfLord here. It makes sense for particular magical talents to be tied to schools. Descriptors make sense to though - I don't see why a system couldn't incorporate both.
I was also considering creating a feat chain that would allow sorcerers to specialize in a particular energy type. That might be a good way to work it in, balance wise.

[ArmorArmadillo]

The reason that specialization exists for wizard is that they can have such a wide variety of spells known that limitations are significant.

Sorcerers know so few spells comparitavely, this is more or less flatly overpowered, as sorcs can pretty easily take other spells and ignore a restriction such as this.

[Marcotic]

Maybe you could have it be tied to schools, because they inherited it, like say if they are sorces because there great grand parents boinked a dragon, they are especially good at a specific set of spells, and if there great grand parents boinked a fiend they get a different set.